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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: dip · season · temple · mouse · rock · pop · present · mark

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. pop — music
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rock — music
  8. pop — to visit
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. rock — a stone
  11. mark — a trace
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. season — of the year
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. present — a gift
  16. present — there
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pop — soda
  21. season — in sport
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a grade
  24. dip — to sink

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com